With the Royal Rumble in the books it’s time once again to check back on my WrestleMania 29 predictions back from December of this year. Do my predictions still appear to be intact? Have I added new matches to my WrestleMania 29 predictions card? Let’s take a look at my latest Wrestlemania 29 predictions for January 2013:

Predictions from December 2012:

CM Punk vs. The Undertaker

With CM Punk dropping the WWE Championship to The Rock at the Royal Rumble it appears that this match still has a very good chance of happening at MetLife stadium. While I’m very much indifferent to CM Punk dropping the gold to The Rock at this year’s Royal Rumble, I believe that no matter what, CM Punk deserves a high-profile match at WrestleMania this year. A match with The Undertaker is that high-profile match and is considered to be almost just as big as a Title match at WrestleMania now.

The Rock (c) vs. John Cena (For the WWE Championship)

This is basically a lock for WrestleMania 29 now. The “once in a lifetime” match will now be “twice in a lifetime” as The Rock is the new WWE Champion and John Cena won the 2013 Royal Rumble. It’s starting to appear that the rumored “three-part WrestleMania series” between these two could be likely happening. The good thing for wrestling fans in this one is that it won’t have the pressure of a one year buildup and can only be better then the WrestleMania 28 match that they had.

Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H

Another match that appears to be locked in now for WrestleMania 29 after Brock Lesnar delivered an F5 to Vince McMahon on RAW the other night. Vince McMahon while being the owner of the WWE is also the “father-in-law” and grandfather to Triple H’s children, consider the door to be open for this match now. I really enjoyed what these two did over the summer last year so I’m looking forward to another match between these two greats.

Randy Orton vs. Sheamus (c) (For the World Heavyweight Championship)

Barring any changes at Elimination Chamber I think this is a match that won’t happen now. I do have an alternative to this original matchup that you’ll see in my new WrestleMania card predictions for January 2013.

Chris Jericho vs. Dolph Ziggler or Chris Jericho vs. Daniel Bryan

Chris Jericho is back in the WWE and returned at the Royal Rumble entering at #2 in the match. Who was #1? Ah it was of course Dolph Ziggler! I’m going to scrap my prediction of Chris Jericho taking on Daniel Bryan as it looks like Ziggler will get a big match with Jericho leading up to WrestleMania 29.

Ziggler is a lot like Jericho when he was coming up in WWE over a decade ago so a match/feud between these two could be the “wrestling fans match” at WrestleMania this year. Great to see Jericho back and even better to see this very underrated feud continue on into WrestleMania. In my opinion it’s very reminiscent of the Jericho/Michaels feud leading into WrestleMania 19, almost a “passing of the torch” you might say.

Big Show vs. Ryback

I know the rumor for Ryback right now is that he will be taking on Chris Jericho at WrestleMania 29 but why? What would be the point of brining Jericho back, turning his heel quickly and having him face Ryback? They are two contrasting styles of wrestlers and Ryback doesn’t need a match with Chris Jericho to elevate his game right now. I still believe a match with The Big Show is most likely for Ryback because it will give us that “wow factor” that the WWE always strives to have at a WrestleMania.

That “wow factor” will be accomplished with a Big Show/Ryback match. What do I exactly mean by that? Remember how many times Hulk Hogan slamming Andre The Giant from WrestleMania 3 has been replayed in the last 25 years? Exactly, consider this the opportunity for “part 2.”

Rey Mysterio vs. Sin Cara

The latest word is that this match is off the table for WrestleMania 29 now but I’m going to hold true that it’s still a good possibility. Reason why is because the WWE has been rumored to want to do this “people wearing masks” world record for the last couple of years and they can do it pretty easily with a Rey Mysterio/Sin Cara match. Time is not on either one of these wrestler’s side right now and this is a “dream match” on a relatively small level so it’s now or never time for the WWE.

Team Hell No (c) vs. The Primetime Players (For the WWE Tag Team Championship)

Another match that I don’t have a reason to believe it will or won’t happen right now other then it being some of the best acts currently in the WWE. The Tag Team division has really breathed new life this year and it’s because of these two teams. They certainly deserve the right to be able to have a WWE Tag Team title match at WrestleMania 29 for their great work the last six months in reviving the Tag Team divison.

To me, this is the most likely World Heavyweight Championship match right now. The WWE surprised us with Alberto Del Rio being a face & the World Heavyweight Champion since the last blog in December and despite what some may think the WWE has been successful with the moves in Hispanic markets. The company would be pretty dumb right now to remove the title off of Del Rio as quickly as they put it on him so I believe he goes into ‘Mania as the World Heavyweight Champion.

As for Sheamus and Randy Orton they are two top stars without a match currently. We have seen chances of a Sheamus/Randy Orton feud happening and we all still believe Orton is also due for a heel turn. I still believe that will all continue but with the exception that the WWE throws Alberto Del Rio into the mix as well.

Antonio Cesaro (c) vs. The Miz (For the WWE United States Championship)

The WWE is certainly progressing with a feud between these two and I’m really intrigued with what they can do with both stars. The Miz has really struggled since his WrestleMania 27 main event (some may argue he was struggling before it as well) and a face turn has refreshed his character quite a bit. I’m also under the mindset that Antonio Cesaro is going to have a breakout year in the WWE in 2013 so he needs a singles match to really showcase his talent on the biggest stage of the year. Right now I put this into the category of “probably” rather then “likely” at the present moment.